Stimulation of B10.BR T cells with superantigenic staphylococcal toxins

Abstract

The Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxins are known to be potent T cell activators, stimulating cell proliferation and lymphokine production. Two additional S. aureus proteins, exfoliating toxin and toxic shock syndrome toxin, share these properties. Recently these molecules have been termed "super-antigens" because of their ability to bind to class II MHC molecules and thus form ligands that interact with TCR in an unconventional manner. In this paper we show that each toxin stimulates mouse T cells bearing receptors that include particular V beta regions, almost regardless of the other variable receptor components. In addition, different toxins have different specificities for V beta.